The Crystal Swordsman: Alfheim's Awakening

Harrowing Hijinks

"In that case, wake me when we get there." Klein stumbled to the side of the ship and slumped down to sit.

He downed half his bottle of rum with a burp then hunched over to pass out.

"Same old drunken Klein." Liz shook her head and crossed her arms.

"What do we do with him?" Asuna knew there were things on the ship to be done.

"Ah, yes. What do we do with a drunken sailor?" I set us on course and joined the others on the main deck.

Silica let out a cute gasp as she realized.

"What do we do with a drunken sailor? Early in the morning!" I began to sing.

"Way hay! Up she rises!" Kirito and Asuna clapped together from the sidelines.

Everyone joyfully danced about as we indulged in shanty song.

"Shave his belly with a rusty razor!" I exclaimed.

"Early in the morning!" Everyone cheered back.

"Way hay! Up she rises!" Liz shook her head as she reluctantly joined in.

"What do we do with a drunken sailor! What do we do with..." Klein raised his head and his cup quickly but started to snore as he hunched again.

"Put him in the brig until he's sober!" Sinon sang and led us all to repeat her in harmony.

I started a clap that everyone began to join.

"Early in the morning!" Everyone cheered.

"I second that." Liz laughed.

"Put him in the bed with the Captain's daugh-..." Kirito led the next part until he realized what it was.

I froze. Sinon stopped as she looked at me and the others were soon behind.

"I think that's a verse you sing when the Captain's not around." I chuckled and brushed it off.

A few of them let out relieved breaths after finding out I wasn't serious.

"We are with wind, Captain!" Leafa called cheerfully.

"Splendid. We should make land soon." I acknowledged.

"What's the plan when we get there?" Kirito inquired.

"Hopefully explore." I smirked back.

"Daddy! I mean- Captain! Off the starboard bow!" Called Athena from the lookout.

"What is it? More land?" I asked.

"No, it's... fog." Athena stuttered.

"Fog?" Asuna looked ahead.

That's when dense mist began to engulf our vessel. It blanketed the water below, making it look like we sailed upon the tops of delicate clouds. Everyone shifted their attention as we entered the shadow of a towering rock formation.

"Land, ho!" Lizbeth called out.

"That's no normal island..." Sinon tried to analyze the dark outline closer.

"It's a structure." Leafa was able to see.

"It is?" I was intrigued by the idea of other civilization.

"It looks rugged and torn apart..." Asuna stated.

The eerie silence began to grow louder as we slowed ourselves to make anchorage.

"I don't like this..." Sinon worried next to me.

"Nor do I." I kept my guard up.

That's when thunderous echoes enveloped the air ahead.